Wrench of yielding and adjustable structure



July 14, 1931.v R. CAIRNCROSS ET AL. 1,814,544

WRENCH OF YIELDING AND ADJUSTABLE STRUCTURE Filed Feb, 13. 192s 2 sheets-sheet 1 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. L. CAIRNCROSS ET AL Filed Feb.

July 14, 193k WRENCH oF YIELDINGAND ADJUSTABLE STRUCTURE Patented July 14, 1.931l

`turen sri'rss Para r trie-a CABNCRGSS, 0F CHCGU, Till-LINGE@ .AND G'ERGE I-I. GGGBELL, OF ST. PAUL,

MINNESOTA, ASSIGNORS, BY DREG'E AND ASSIGNLV-'Q'TS,

TO THE .NATINL 3300K WASHER COMPANY, 0F NEVIEK, NEX/V JERSEY, A CORGRTON OF NEW' 'JERSEY y y WRENCH OF TFLDNE' AND ADJUSTABLE STRUCTURE Application IedFebl-uary 13, 1928. `Serial No. 253,936.

This `invention relates to a lever,y for effecting turning movement of an object such as agwrench used to turn and'y tighten nuts. `While the invention is applicable for turning any desired object or nut, it particularly is designedr for tightening the nuts on the bolts yused inl assembling railway rails, Which pass through the angle bars and rails and secure the saine together.y The' ral-` roads ofthis country are being continually forced to effect further economy in the handling of trahie and it has become necessary to not alone increase the Weight of both locomotives and cars but Y to f move trains of all' classes, including freight trains, at much higher speed than was heretofore thought possible. This increase in Weight and speed has developed the necessity of building 'tracks `1with heavier rails and stronger fastenin'gs. k(,ortain engineers," responsible for track maintenance, noivvrecognize and appreciate the importance of the fact that'the weakest vfeature inI the track joint structure tocay,A is the variation inithe c intensity of the tension'in the bolts used' to unite the track joints. It is impossible' for a man to tighten nuts so that the saine degree of tension is developed in all of them. rlhe bolts thusv tightened under different tensions and the bolts having the greatest tension therein are' forced to Withstand'the impacts of traffic, until, under this tension, they stretcher elongate,ror Vuntil suflieient Wear of contact surfaces betweenthe parts of the raill joint occurs to relieve the most highly tensioned bolt and transfer some of the load tothe boltswhich at first didf not bear their share of the load, until a condition exists in which all of the bolts in the joint stressed te extent; 4 f A f The expansion 4and contraction of rails produces an irresistible f orce and makes the dilerence ini tension. intrack bolts a very important factor for the reasonthat it 'is frequently the case that one end of he joint, and less often both ends, ar so firmly bolted as to be frozen or rigidlt'o the extent that themotion of expansionvand contrae# tion is forced to take place andpeonc'entrated in joints other .than the substantially the same frozen or rigid ones, so that these movements are not uniformiy distributed over all the joints but are concentrated in a smaller number than the total number of joints.

Some railroads, in an endeavor tohave the l bolts uniformly tightened, have provided Wrenches of different lengths, proportioned to the size of thev boit' With which they are to be used. Y rhis practice is unecenomical, and men-,Who use the wrenches are often forcedl to overexertion in order to properly tighten the bolts. i

Another feature in having the lbolts un'- equally tightened, is that the Work is often done by men varying a great deal ,in stature and. strength. it WillE readily be seen that a taller and stronger man will naturally tighten the bolts to greater extent than a smaller man. lforlnnen also varya great deal and even men of the same physical proportions will not tighten bolts to the samek degree. l

it is anfobject ofy this inventiointherefore, to provide a device by means of which the nuts can'he 'tightened to a determined degree and which' will indicate when the nuts are so tightened" lt is further object' ofthe inventionto provide a turning lever or Wrench coinprising tvvo or more connectedparts so corr structed as to function as an integral mem-` ber when subjected to turning or bending moments of lessv than a predetermined magnitude,said parts being arrangedto move relatively to each other when the turning .or bending movement of said magnitude has is still another ohject of the inventionY to provide aturning lever or Wrench. com

prising a member with means at one end adapted to engage an object to be turned, a handle for said member, means engaging said member to hold the same and said handle in rigid relation until a certain stress occurs between the same, when said means will permit relative movement of said member and handle and means for varying the degree of stress at which said member and handle will be moved.

It is more specifically an object of the inention to provide a wrench comprising a bar having means at one end engaging a nut, a handle into which said bar extends and in which it is rockably mounted, a member within the handle resiliently engaging the end of said bar to hold the same and said handle in rigid relation and to permit relative movement thereof when a predetermined stress occurs between the same, and means for varying the pressure of said resilient means on said bar to vary the stress when relative movement will occur between said bar and handle.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which Fig. l is a view in side elevation of the wrench;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the device;

Fig. 3 is aV partial view similar to Fig. 2, with certain portions broken away and others shown in vertical section;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3 as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 1V as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 6-6 of Fig. 4 as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the supporting bracket used;

Fig. 8 is an edge view of the bracket shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a side view of the supporting yoke used in the device;

Y Fig. 10 is an edge view of the device shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 9, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 12 is an end view of a handle cap member used; and

Fig. 13 is an end view of the adjusting block used.

Referring to the drawings, a bar 15 is shown, comprising a wrenchsuch as a well known form of track wrench having a head 15a, and a notch 15b adapted to receive the nut to be turned. The bar or wrench 15 has a tapered shank at one end, extending to ar shoulder forming flange 15d, the end 15e of said tapered portion 150 being of conical shape. The bar 15 and the shank 150 are of greater width than thickness, so as to be substantially elliptical in cross section. The shank 150 is received in the end of the tubular handle member 16 which is illustrated as cylindrical throughout its major portion, but which is somewhat flattened at one end so as to be substantially of elliptical form and substantially to lit the large end of the shank 150. The shank 150 has slots 15f formed in opposite sides thereof adapted to be engaged when said shank is in the member 16, by spring members 17 secured to the sides of member 16 and having bent portions 17a adapted to engage in the slots lf, the function of said spring members being to retain shank 150 within handle member 16. The members 17 are secured t0 the members 16 by the rivets 18 which also secure in place the small brackets 19 disposed against the inner sides of the member 16. rlhe members 19 are shown in Figs. 7 and 8. It will be seen that each has a flaring notch 19a at its free end. A yoke member 2O is provided, adapted to be received in the member 16, which yoke member has spaced arms 20a having rounded ends adapted to be received respectively in the notches 19a of the members 19 as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The yoke 2O has a conical recess 20?) in the head thereof, extending from between arms 20w into which extends the conical head 15e of shank 150. The yoke 20 has the V-shaped or chisel shaped edge 20c and in the normal position of the wrench this edge is received in a transversely extending notch 21a of the block 21, which is substantially cylindrical in cross section and slidable within the member 16. The groove 21a is illustrated as V-shaped in cross section and the end surface of the block 21 shallow and slopes toward said groove for a short distance as shown at 210. The block 21 has a groove or keyway 21?) therein at one side, in which is disposed the key member 22 secured by rivets 23 to one side of the member 16. A rod 24 has one end threaded in the end of the block 21 opposite groove 21a, and extends substantially centrally of the tube 16, being threaded at its other end into a follower plate 25 slidable in tube 16. The follower plate 25 is engaged at one side by one end of a coil compression spring 26 disposed in tube 16, the other end of which spring engages a block 27 threaded in the tube 16. The block 27 is provided at its outer end with a socket 27 a adapted to receive a suitable wrench by means of which it can be turned and its position in member 16 varied. A cap 28 is threaded into the end of member 16, having a flange extending over said end, and said cap is also provided with a socket 28a. in its outerend for receiving a wrench for turning said cap.

' With the described struct-ure, thewrench sure against the end 200` of the yoke member 20, into` which yoke member extends the end' of.l the shanklc. It will be seen that the. yoke member 20 is mounted for rocking movement in members 19 about the ends vof its/arms 20w, and the shank 15C is alsocapable ofv rocking movement about the end of the` memberH 16. With. thel parts so. assembled and adjusted, the turning lever or wrench as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 Vwill be ap.- plied to the nut and the nut turned byy the swingingA movement of said Wrench. The memberi1-5 and its-shanklc will beheld in rigidi relation with. handle 16: until a, certain stress occurs; .between members k15 and 16. When a certain stress` occurs, the same willI move theend of the shank 150 and theyoke 20 will; be moved'1 out of the groove. 21m in the block'21 and.- said: yoke and the end of theshank 15.0 willi be moved tov the position shown in. dotted lines` in` Fig. 4. Thev yoke, 20 andf' block 21 will bemade of metal specially adaptedl to, resist wear, and.: these parts will be highly finished. and. polished and well greased with, a durable. greasey so. that they: willi` function. easily. The relative movement of the members 15 and 1,6.,is. very noticeable to the operator and when; this movement occurs, the operator will; know that-the nut has been tighteneditoa suicient degree. It will readily befseen. that ther block 2f( can be ad. justed as desired to vary the pressure orten.- sion. with which block 21 engages the end of yoke 2O to yvary the degree, ofV stress at; whichy the relative. movement will'. occur be., tween members 15 and.16 The wrenchcanthus bev adjusted for operating on-v nuts and bolts ofy different sizes and strengths. It will b e seen that-the relative movement be. tween members. 15 and 16.`may take place ineither direction. The wrench can thus have either side applied to the nut.l and; it isl not necessary to take the trouble to ,apply the wrench i-n. one. particular-mannen It will be seen that when the shanklc. is."

inserted in the handle16, the springsfl. Will snapinto the grooves15f andthe s hankwill.

thus be kept from dropping from member 16. If it is. desired-to removet-he member, 15, the springs.. 17 can be separated by engaging the reversely bent ends thereof, to move the same from slots 15]" and release member 15, which can then be withdrawn or will drop out of member 16. The shoulder`- 15d limits `themovement ofthe shank y15e intothe member-'16 so thatzthereis. no ydanger.- ofv4 said shank entering. saidrmembertoo farj and. in. anymay damaging ofr-A ii-sweating the parts in memberl;,6.- Ilft will., be seenl that; key 22 will prevent rotation of block 21. The sloping surfaces 21e function. to. automatically reset the wrench. when the point of the yoke 2O is again moved intothe notch 21a. It Willbe seen that,` these surfaces will. guide said point so that it will slide andi. snap into the notch 21a. Without this slight incline, the mechanism would not readily ad.- just itselfto the. properposition and the Opf erator` Would have to move the handle ofl the wrench back and` forwards until he could.-` feel or see thatthe same was in proper position with the yoke. engaged in notch 21a.

From the. above description itis seen` that applicant has provided a very simple and etiicientturning lever or Wrench, by means of which a plurality'of bolts can` be ytensioned to,V aiuniformdegree. When the desired ten.- sion issecured onv the bolts, the parts: of the wrenchmove` relatively and the operator is.`

-at oncey notified that the nut and bolt are suiiciently tightened'.f It is-thus unnecessary forthe operator toexert any skill or exert any precautions` to see that; the nuts. and. bolts are uniformly tensioned. By the use l of the device quite avfew objectionable feas. tures at` present experienced can be elimi. nated. First, a considerablewasteof material caused by the breakage of the., bolts. which are intitially set up with: the greatest tension; second, the dangerous condition.

which is often produced whenv sun kinks develop inthetrack because some of the track joints are tootiglitly connectedor are frozen. on'l account of some .boltsfbeing tightened. too much; third, the waste of laborini havingI men. often put ,more work on the tightening of thenutsthn iS necessary,resulting from the useof wrenches, the length of: which isimproperlydetermined.V The use ofthei'nv vention` will also result; in: a greatlyimproved trackjoint. Thevarious joints of the track will.l bef uniformlyftightened; andi expansion andi contraction; of-the rails canA take place uniformly in the various joints.

The lever or wrench can be made strong andis self-contained' and the mechanism is; all well protected within the handle where itwill notwbe subject to abuse or the action offthe weather. Thejdevice can'be easily made of commonly used materials and is easily and quickly assembled; The device `has been amply demonstratedin actuallprac tice audit is feund t0. be Very Successful. and; efficient. i

` It v\ fill, of course, be understood, that various changes may be. made in the form, details, arrangement and proportionsl of the part,s, withou`t departing from. the scope of.I applicantsdnvention, which, generally stat,- ed, consists in. a device capableA of carrying out the objects.v above set forth, in the novel iet CTI

parts and combination's-bff parts disclosed and defined yin the appended claims. f

' l. A wrench having in combination, a bar having meansat one end for engaging nut, a tube constituting a` handle in which one end yof said bar is received and with respectto which it is relatively movable, a member. engaging the inner end of said bar so as to be movable therewith, a block slidableY in said tube having a shallow recess therein engaged by said last mentioned member, a spring in said tube urging said block against said member, and means engaging said spring and movable relatively to said tube for compressing the spring to vary the pressures on said block.

2. A wrench having in combination, a wrench element having means at one end for engaging a nut, a tube forming a handlein which one end of said wrenchelement'isv reg ceived, releasable means for detachably holding said wrench element in said tube, a. yoke in said tuberin which the innerend of said wrench element is disposed, means secured to the inner side of said tube in which said yoke is mountedv for swinging movement, said yoke having a comparatively sharp edge at one end, a blockin sa-id tube having a shallow recess in which said edge is received, a spring urging said block againstJ said yoke, and means for varying the pressure of said spring. 3. A wrench having incombination, a barhaving means at one end for engagino` a nut, a tube forming a handle for said wrench in which one end of said bar is received and is mounted for rocking movement, brackets secured to the inner side of said tube at opposite sides of said bar, a yoke having arms respectively received in said brackets for swinging movement therein, said -yoke having a recess therein in which the inner end of said bar is disposed and having a chisel edge at its opposite end, a block having a shallow groove in which said chisel edge is received, a spring in said tube urging said block against said edge, and means for varying the adjustment of said spring. Y il. The structure set forth in claim B, said block having surfaces at each side of said. recess sloping toward said groove whereby said chisel edge will be guidedinto. saidY recess. Y 'i 5. A wrench Vhaving in combination, a bar having means at one'end vfor engaging a nut and having a shank atits other endY with a shoulder some distance from the end thereof, a tube forming a handle for said wrench in which said shank is received, said shoulder abutting the end of said tube, a member engaging the end of said shank and movable with said end in said tube transversely ofsaid tube, a block .tube being `substantially of elliptical cross section at the end engaged by said shoulder,

and said shank substantially Vfitting said tube adjacent said shoulder. f

7. A wrench f L or tire class described including a -handle -me1nber, a v'rench element having a nutengaging portion and a shank portion detachably received in the handle member, and having a free fulcrum engagement therewith, and resilient means holding thehandle member and the shank portion of the wrench element normally in predetermined relation but permitting relative lateral movement-thereof when a predeterminedstress therebetv-Jeen is reached.

8. A wrench comprising a tubular handle, a member 7within said handle movable transversely'thereof and held against longitudinal movement therein, a member longitudinally movable in said handle, one of said members having a recess therein and the other having a tapered portion normally disposed in said recess, resilient means urging said second mentioned member longitudinally Vof the handle against said first mentioned member, and an object engaging element inclusive of a shank having a free fulcrum engagement with and rock-- ably disposed within said handle, said shank and said first mentioned member having interengaging formations.

'9. In combination, a wrench having a nut engaging portion and a shank rigidly secured thereto, a handle engaging said shank and affording a free fulcrum engagement therewith, means normally holding said handle and shank in predetermined relation but permitting relative movement therebetween when a certain force is exerted on saidhandle, and means limiting said relative movement. Y

1.1().In combination, a4 wrench having a nut engaging portion and a tapered shank rigidly secured thereto, a tubular handleA surrounding said shank and engaging the vlarger en d thereof, means in the handle and movable longitudinally thereof and adapted to prevent lateral movement of the small end ofrsaid shank, anda spring urging said means towards said shank' and adapted to yield to permit said lateral movement upon exertion of a predetermined force upon said handle.

ll. ln combination, a wrench having a nut engaging portion anda tapered shank rigidly secured thereto, a tubular handle surrounding said shank and engaging the larger end thereof, means in the handle and movable longitudinally thereof and adapted toA prevent lateral movement of the small end of said shank, a' spring urging said means towards said shank and adapted to yield to permit said lateral movement upon exertion of a predetermined force upon said handle, and means for detachably securing said shank within said handle.

12. In combination, a wrench Vhaving a nut engaging portion and a tapered shank rigidly secured thereto, a tubular handle surrounding said shank and engaging the larger end thereof, a member within the handle engaging the end of the shank and laterally movable therewith, a block movable lengthwise of the handle and engaging said member, a spring urging said block towards said member, and coacting means on said member and block normally7 preventing lateral movement therebetween and held in engagement by said spring but adapted to permit such lateral movement when a suiicient force is i exerted upon said handle, to overcome the action of said spring.

13. In combination, a wrench having a nut engaging portion and a tapered shank rigidly secured thereto, a tubular `handle surrounding said shank and engaging the larger end thereof, a member within the handle engaging the endof the shank and laterally movable therewith, a block movable lengthwise of the handle and engaging said member, a spring urging said block towards said member, and coacting means on said member and block normally preventing lateral movement therebetween and heldin engagement by said spring but adapted to permit such lateral movement when a sufficient force is exerted upon said handle, to overcome the action of said spring, said member' then engaging the side of the tubular handle to limit said lateral movement and to give an audible indication thereof.

14. In combination, a wrench having a nut engaging portion and a tapered shank rigidly secured thereto, a tubular handle surrounding said shank and engaging the larger end thereof, a member within the handle engaging the end of the shank and laterally movable therewith, a block movable lengthwise of the handle and engaging said member, a spring urging said block towards said member, said block and member having. the one an inclined surface and the other a portion in 'constant engagement therewith, whereby upon relative lateral movement between the block and member said spring will tend to return them to initial position.

15. In combination, a wrench having a nut engaging portion and a shank rigidly secured thereto, a handle engaging said shank and affording a free fulcrum engagement 's therewith, means normally holding said handle and shank in predetermined relation but permitting relative movement therebetween when a certain force is exerted on said handle, and means detachably securing said shank to said handle.

16. In combination, a wrench having a nut engaging portion and a tapered shank rigidly seeured thereto, a tubular handle surrounding said shank and engaging the larger end thereof, means in the handle and movable longitudinally thereof and adapted to ,prevent lateral movement of the small end of said shank, a spring urging said means towards said shank and adapted to yield to permit said lateral movement upon exertion of a predetermined force upon said handle, and means on said shank adapted to engage the wall of said tubular handle to limit said lateral movement and to give an audible indication thereof. v

17. In combination, a wrench having a nut engaging portion and a shank rigidly secured thereto, a hollow handle surrounding said shank and affording a free fulcrum engagement therewith and permitting movement of the shank in the handle laterally there'bf, kmeans in the handle movable longitudinally thereof and adapted to prevent said lateral movement of the shank, a spring urging said means towards said shank and adapted to yield to permit said lateral movement upon the exertion of a predetermined force upon said handle and means holding said shank in said handle.

18'. In combination, a wrench having a nut engaging portion and a shank rigidly secured thereto, a hollow handle surrounding said shank and affording a free fulcrum engagement therewith and permitting movement of the shank in the handle laterally thereof, a member within the handle engaging the end of the shank and laterally movable therewith, a block movable lengthwise of the handle and engaging said member, a spring urging said block towards said member, and coacting means on said member and block normally preventing lateral movement therebetween and held in engagement by said spring, but adapted to permit such lateral movement when a sufficient force is exerted upon said handle to overcome the action of said spring.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

ROBERT L. CAIRNCROSS. GEORGE H. GOODELL. 

